gone. In this dilemma you saw officers obliged to force the doors of houses-you saw them disputing with the people; nor did any sick officers obtain a roof over their heads but by dint of violence—their baggage left all this time on their mules' backs, and themselves without any thing to eat; and, as I promised, there is an end of this subject: I wish I could as easily get rid of the evil.

Salamanca, November 10, 1812.

Although we failed before Burgos, the enemy, in order to compel our noble leader and the division under Sir Rowland Hill to fall back, was under the necessity of draining all Spain, and uniting the whole of his disposable force for the purpose of accomplishing this object: however, now we are in our old position before Salamanca, ready to fight them; and although the left might be turned, there would be some difficulty in accomplishing it. The way these scoundrels have acted, is according to their usual plan, with superior numbers, manœuvring on our flanks; but the precision of Lord Wellington's movements, defeats their views of obtaining any advantage whilst we are retreating. War is in itself, as every one knows, uncertain; and whether John Bull is as easily depressed as elated, will be seen by the way in which this temporary reverse is received in England: when, however, I come to reflect that in the course of a campaign, we have taken two principal frontier towns, raised the siege of Cadiz, freed the provinces of Andalusia, captured 1000 pieces of artillery, and advanced to the capital, which obliged Marshal Soult to evacuate the whole of the South, I trust it will be admitted that Lord Wellington has achieved wonders, considering his limited means. Now that bis Lordship is appointed Generalissimo of the Spanish armies, it is to be hoped that a new system will be adopted with regard to their organization and discipline, in both which essential points they have hitherto been remarkably deficient.

Salamanca, 10th November, 1812.

I understand we are to defend this position; the army are all ready, and willing to give the enemy a second defeat. The troops lately under Sir Rowland Hill, are in excellent order. I believe we are much out-numbered in cavalry, but the Marquis, I have no doubt, will sustain his great character, and gain a second victory at Salamanca greater than the first-and infinitely more important, as one blow will decide the contest, and such a victory will give more than life to the Spanish cause. The influx of military in this city is astonishing;-the great square, which is surrounded by a piazza, is thronged with British Officers and men of the Allied Army; and what articles there are to sell, are extremely dear: brandy eight shillings a bottle, bread two and sixpence a pound, tea five dollars a pound. It has cost me for the last fortnight nearly eight pounds for living, exclusive of bread and beef, so shamefully have we suffered by extortion; nor, for the present, have I any expectation of things being more moderate. But to see us, my friend, now, you would think we were all holiday soldiers,-all our best uniforms, gold and silver lace, with the brilliant dresses of the Spanish and Portuguese Officers, furnishes a burlesque similar to those of the 1st of May in London.

AFRICAN RECRUITING ESTABLISHMENT.

We inserted in our first Number, an account of a Recruiting Depôt to be formed at Sierra Leone and Goree, for the enlistment of men of colour, for the completion and augmentation of the West India regiments. The following communication, extracted from a public journal, cannot prove otherwise than interesting:

"Baner Island (Africa), September 18, 1812.-According to my promise, I take the earliest opportunity to inform you of my safety, and the degree of success that has attended the African Recruiting Establishment.

"Major Wingfield embarked on board the Herald transport, No. 29, (his Staff consisting of Adjutant Henry Barry Hyde, Lieutenants Gregg and Fitzgerald, Surgeon James Johnston, Ensign Mac Queen, and Paymaster Eastlake,) at Portsmouth; together with three Officers of the Royal African Corps, and eighty men. The Herald proceeded to Africa, which shore we made on the 19th of July. We landed a few of the African Corps and one Officer at Senegal, a few men and one Officer at Goree, and the remainder of the African Corps at Sierra Leone, all in perfect health and good spirits-owing greatly to the indefatigable attention of Surgeon Johnston, in keeping the ship in a perfect state of cleanliness and purification.

"The Herald proceeded from Sierra Leone to Baner Island, the depôt for the African Recruiting Establishment, whereby the vacancies in the different WestIndia Regiments are to be filled and effectually completed; which will be done much sooner than was anticipated, owing to the zealous exertions of Major Wingfield and the Officers under him.

"Four Kings or Chieftains have come to this place from considerable distances up the river, particularly the Rio Conga, and have tendered their services to the Recruiting Establishment. Volunteers are flocking in by dozens every day. We shall be enabled to send to the West Indies by the 1st of October next, three hundred and fifty men and boys, from fourteen to eighteen years of age, in the Herald transport. The troops are wonderfully docile-a disposition which is excited not a little, and maintained among them by the prudent and unceasing attention of Henry Barry Hyde, whose skill in disciplining black troops has received a lasting record in the example, the achievements, and hard-earned glory of the 1st West-India Regiment. In a word, by his exertions, these troops will be formed into a most respectable corps, qualified for every useful military purpose which the service may require.

"The troops for the West Indies will be under the command of Captain Raine and Lieutenant Gregg, who, by their conciliating manners with the natives, have not only removed every obstacle which might have operated to the disadvantage of the Recruiting Establishment, but won the affections, and secured that perfect confidence from the troops which renders obedience easy, and insures discipline. "Surgeon James Johnston will accompany the troops to the West Indies. We have all benefited highly by his rigid attention to medical discipline ;-nor can language do justice to the humanity that characterizes every part of his conduct. "We are abundantly supplied with fresh provisions by the zealous exertions of Lieutenant Quarter-Master Fitzgerald, an officer of considerable merit.

"On the 9th inst, we were alarmed by a furious tornado, accompanied by a violent earthquake, which destroyed one of our largest barracks, and buried, for the moment, fifty of our men in the ruins. Providentially they were soon extricated without the loss of a single life, but not without considerable injury to many, and very great risque to the concerned in freeing the sufferers from their temporary

graves. Every officer bore a conspicuous share in the perilous enterprize-those who suffered most, have been humanely attended to, and every comfort adminis tered to them by the Medical Officer, Mr. Johnston, who may not only be stiled a very lucky, but a most judicious practitioner.

"Paymaster Eastlake, to whom it is hoped that the world will be rendered debtor for successful labours in peregrinating the interior of Africa, intends to undertake that perilous though laudable adventure, about the middle of March next. He has commenced equipping himself for the enterprize--an enterprize for which he is well qualified by constitution, by youthful but well disciplined zeal and ardour, and by an extensive fund of useful information."

LIST OF CORPS SERVING IN THE PENINSULA NOV. 1.

Total,-19 Regiments of Cavalry, 73 Battalions of Infantry, a Brigades of Horse Artillery, 2000 Foot Artillery, Engineers and Staff Corps.

1, 2, and 3.

Extracts from Army Regulations, General Orders, and Courts Martial.

Further PROCEEDINGS relative to the 1st Royal Surry Militia.

[Continued from p. 281.]

Horse-Guards, 10th of August, 1812.—WITH reference to the General Order which was issued to the Army on the 18th of June last, on the subject of abuses and irregularities which have been committed in the First Royal Surry Regiment of Militia, the Commander-in-Chief has directed that the following Copy of a Letter, which was addressed by His Royal Highness on the 6th instant, to the General Officer commanding in the Eastern District, respecting Captain Joseph Dawson, of the First Regiment of Surry Militia, shall be read at the head of every regiment, and entered in the General Order Book of each Corps.

MY LORD,-In reference to the Prince Regent's Commands as conveyed in my letter of the 13th of June last, that a General Court-Martial should be assembled for the trial of Captain J. Dawson, of the First Royal Surry Regiment of Militia, according to the request made by that officer before the Board of General Officers assembled to investigate the abuses and irregularities prevalent in that corps, I am now to acquaint you, that although the misconduct of Captain Dawson appeared to be of a more culpable nature than that of others who have already incurred the penalty of removal from the service, inasmuch as he appeared to be himself guilty of those gross instances of peculation and injustice, which certain of his brother Captains permitted to be practised by the Pay-Serjeants of their respective companies; yet under all the circumstances of the case, I have considered it expedient to submit to the Prince Regent, that the application of Captain Dawson to withdraw his request for a Court-Martial, shall be acceded to, upon the condition of his dismissal from His Majesty's service, with such marked publicity as may be considered due to the infamy of conduct acknowledged by the prisoner's desire to avoid investigation, and his voluntary acquiescence in such penalty.

I have therefore to acquaint you, that the Prince Regent has been pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to command that Captain Dawson shall be dismissed from His Majesty's service accordingly, and that the grounds of such dismissal shall be circulated throughout the army, in reference to the communications of the decisions already passed upon irregularities of the First Surry Militia, in which the intimation of Captain Dawson's trial by Court-Martial was included.

Your Lordship will acquaint me with the day upon which the Prince Regent's pleasure is made known to Captain Dawson, as from that day he will cease to receive pay in His Majesty's service.—I am, &c.

Copies of Letters addressed by His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief to General the Earl of Chatham, K. G. or General Officer commanding in the Eastern District, dated Horse-Guards.

MY LORD,-Having laid before the Prince Regent the proceedings of a General Court Martial, held at Chelmsford on the 18th of October, 1811, and continued by adjournments to the 15th of November following, for the trial of Captain John

Ford, of the First Royal Surry Regiment of Militia, who was arraigned under the under-mentioned charge, viz:

"For having during the whole, or a great part of the period between the 1st day of January, and the 10th of September, 1811, neglected to pay his company himself, in obedience to His Majesty's orders; and for having allowed the wife, or the reputed wife of Serjeant-Major Allingham, to pay the men of his company, and provide them with necessaries, by which means the comforts and interests of the soldiers were not attended to, the men charged more than they ought to have been for nccessaries, and subjected to various impositions; such conduct being highly detrimental to His Majesty's service, and to the prejudice of good order and military discipline."

Upon which Charge the Court came to the following decision:

"The Court are of opinion, that the prisoner Captain John Ford is Guilty of the charge preferred against him, in breach of the Articles of War; but taking into their most serious consideration all the circumstances detailed in evidence, and the very high and honorable character given him by his Colonel and other officers, do sentence him to be reprimanded, in such manner as His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of His Majesty, may be pleased to direct, and further, to be suspended from rank and pay, for the space of one calendar month."

I am to acquaint your Lordship, that under all the circumstances of the case, His Royal Highness was pleased, in the name and on the behalf of His Majesty, to approve the finding of Guilt, and to confirm so much of the sentence of the Court as adjudges the prisoner Captain Ford to be reprimanded and suspended for one month from rank and pay.

I am, at the same time, to acquaint your Lordship, that upon a careful consideration of the whole evidence, as detailed on the face of the proceedings, the Guilt of the prisoner, as found by the Court, appeared to the Prince Regent to have been so fully established as to have demanded a sentence more adequate to the nature of an offence, involving the first and most important duties of every officer in the service of the rank of Captain Ford; and as no evidence to general good character can in propriety be offered in extenuation of such dereliction of duty to the country, and to the service in particular, as appears to have attended the Guilt of the prisoner, whose admission of error in not paying his own company, contrary to the standing orders of the army, by which a system of gross imposition was admitted on the part of Mrs. Allingham, to whom that duty is proved to have been most improperly entrusted, would appear of itself to have been sufficient to point out to the Court, the ill-judged application of lenity to the nature of the case brought under their investigation.

Under these circumstances, the Prince Regent considered it to be due to the discipline and paramount interests of the service, that the expression of His Royal Highness's marked displeasure should be conveyed to the Officers of the CourtMartial for this very insufficient sentence, upon their own finding of Guilt against the prisoner.

I am further commanded to order, that, until a general investigation shall be instituted into the system of a corps, under which such practices could be tolerated as those which appear on the face of the proceedings, Captain Ford shall be prohibited from joining or doing duty with the First Royal Surry Regiment of Militia.

Your Lordship will acquaint me with the day upon which the sentence is made known to the prisoner, as from that day the suspension from rank and pay will take effect.I am, &c. (Signed) FREDERICK, Commander-in-Chief.